“Don’t worry Lady Yating. I’m sure we can buy your heirloom back once Teacher returns.” Gao Mu nervously reassures her while pacing through the room. Yating shares a glance with Zhi and shrugs, neither of them half as wound up as the petite pugilist. Three weeks have passed since Song Suwan parted from their group and while the others don’t show it nearly as much, concern is slowly beginning to gnaw at them all.
“What’s this about an heirloom?” A hoarse voice speaks up from the doorway prompting everyone to turn towards it with wildly different reactions. Zhi freezes entirely, the shock of seeing the one she viewed as above the heavens and the strongest person she’s ever met so battered causing her mind to grind to a halt as she tries and fails to comprehend what she is seeing. Yating immediately moves towards her to support her. She stops halfway realizing she might wound the blonde’s pride through her actions but recognizes the very act of moving towards her would already have caused that offense. Determining there is no point in stopping now she continues on and slings the blonde’s arm over her shoulder to help her inside. All that is simply a post hoc rationalization however as the main reason she acts is simply to help her as her heart breaks witnessing the one who once more set her on the road to immortality so vulnerable.
Unlike before it is Gao Mu who deals with it the best. She pats An’s head when the child instinctively inches closer to her while she moves towards Suwan.
“Master, what happened? Did you win? You’re all injured!”
Suwan’s eyes widen. Her breath hitches and she looks at herself.
“Oh wait, really? Darn I didn’t notice,” Song gasps theatrically. “Well, The Zri aren’t gonna be a problem anymore.” She adds, unable to keep a tinge of sadness out of her voice.
<Sister Suwan, This one is detecting vast amounts of demonic qi within your body and soul.>
<Ah hells, my soul too? That’s bad. Can you do anything about that?>
<This one can. This one believes the process shall take two to three months.>
Suwan nods at the immortal doll. In truth she had expected it to take years to cleanse her body and had not even imagined her soul being damaged as well. To know she’ll be back on her feet in less than a dozen weeks is such a big relief she can’t keep the smile off her face.
<You're a miracle, Twelve.>
<This one permits thee to continue the praise.>
Suwan snorts, grateful to Twelve for helping to lift her mood without asking why exactly she's so full of demonic qi. Employing her favorite tactic for dealing with Mu on a larger scale this time she hands the group a bag of money to both rent an entire floor so she can have some privacy and go out into the city, leaving her alone with Twelve to focus fully on recovery.
Popping one of the most potent medicinal pills she has left into her mouth Suwan sits down in the lotus position, finally able to fully focus on her recovery now that she is under Twelve's guard. She can feel the puppet wiggle onto her lap and merge their cycles, the doll's potent qi restraining itself to match Suwan's sluggish flow as they focus their efforts on the worst of her injuries first.
When I'm better I really need to finish recharging Twelve fully, I can't afford to be careless anymore.
-----
<This one's full attention shall be on Sister Suwan. This one shall not be able to guard you. Stay safe.>
With those brief instructions from Twelve the gang is sent off into the Ke clan's capital. Finding the merchant they had bartered Tai Yating's heirloom off to does not take long yet when they arrive they find the silver circlet gone, sold just hours before.
"Don't worry, Lady Tai! We'll find it!"
"T- Tai?!" The merchant squeaks while padding his sweaty brow. He curses his luck at having fallen afoul of a member of that clan. "Th- The magnificent ornament has been purchased by a Young Master with short brown hair and silver eyes wearing a white robe." Eager to save his own skin the man gives away the information without being prompted. Gao Mu sighs before straightening and forcing a smile onto her face.
"There we go! We'll find it in no time!" She reassures her companion while they leave the store.
"Thank you, Miss Gao. I am feeling a bit peckish, perhaps we may partake in a snack prior to continuing?"
"Of course!" Mu swiftly replies, eager to take the white haired woman's mind off things.
"Miss Zhi, Miss An, do either of you have any preferences?"
An quickly shakes her head, Zhi on the other hand seems more contemplative, still out of it from the earlier revelation.
"Shud we be bein' dis carefree?" She lets out with a sigh, shoulders sagging. Mu's smile stiffens for a second before returning in full force.
"Of course! Master will be fine. There's nothing we can do there anyway, we need to do what we can do and right now that's get some food, get Yating's heirloom back and then figure out what Master wants us to do with the rest of this money, last time she had me look for more things than the gold could buy and this time she even included spirit stones! There's no way she has nothing in mind. So first things first, one step at a time: dumplings or skewers?"
They decide on skewers in the end in order to keep exploring the city while they eat. They hem and haw over the prices of herbs, discuss which pills would be beneficial and which are overpriced or lacking in quality. For all the world they simply look like a group of girls shopping or more likely a refined young lady, her overeager guard and a pair of strays following along. After enough wandering even they themselves begin to believe they are simply enjoying themselves, the unspoken agreement not to mention anything serious letting them stave off their anxiety and concern.
The sun nearly crests the horizon by the time they decide to call it a day and continue their search tomorrow.
"Do not frown so, Miss Gao, you will get wrinkles. I'm certain we shall be more successful tomorrow."
"That's right. There's nothing Venerable Gao can not accomplish once she sets her mind to it." An nods along turning Yating's reassurance into praise. Zhi rolls her eyes at the kid's slimy compliments.
"Thanks everyone, I'll try twice as hard tomo- Ah! Look there!" Mu points at a small group leaving a restaurant. Surrounded by sycophants laughing at a joke stands a handsome brown haired man wearing a white silken robe. The brief appraising glance he sends their way shows his cold silver eyes measuring their worth and use. His companions are far less alert, the woman by his side hiding a smile behind her snowflake embroidered sleeve.
“Truly, a Song? After all this time? Ah, the heights rogue cultivators will go to in order to weasel their way out of giving up undeserved resources. Have they no honor to so blatantly take a false name?”
Mu bristles at the words of the woman wearing Yating’s silver circlet who definitely does not have a body Gao Mu is jealous of. Absolutely not, the petite girl fumes. Tai stands stunned for a moment recognizing the two before them. It costs her as she is not able to warn Mu before she shouts.
“You dare besmirch my Master’s honour!”
The first hint of a grin shows on the young master’s face when he turns fully towards her and spreads his arms wide.
“We mean no offense, fellow daoist. If you have been taken in by this con man then take this Cai Yin’s warning to leave her before she drags you to your doom.”
Mu bristles even more. Her hands clench into fists and her shoulders square. “This Gao Mu will not stand for such accusations any more.” She hisses out through grit teeth. Cai shakes his head. “So eager to resort to violence even after learning my name. It appears your so-called master has taught you little. This young master shall educate you in the wench’s place.” He smiles cockily.
Zhi and Yating stiffen at the thought of the impending clash. Yating in concern that she is unable to stop what is about to happen and desperately praying the young master of the Cai clan will show restraint. Zhi on the other hand eyes the remainder of the group, barely restrained violence coursing through her while she estimates how long she can hold them off if they decide to interfere with Mu.
Mu clasps her hands and bows her head, she is about to say the traditional greeting when the man holds up a hand to forestall her.
“To take up my time for something so boorish, few of my status would even spare you a glance. For one to properly learn from one’s mistakes there must be consequences. What say you of a wager? When you lose, you shall forfeit a limb. Of course, this young master is not without mercy. If you kowtow three times before me I shall call this duel off.”
“Fine, I accept! If you lose you’ll give back my friend’s circlet.” She practically spits in reply whilst pointing at the woman next to him.
“Come now, you can hardly expect me to wager something that belongs to Young Mistress Lai. I must ask you to show some class and change your wager.”
The woman steps forward with a genial smile that has an unmistakable hint of coldness to it.
“Lady Tai, is that you? I suppose if this was once yours I shall agree to offer it up in this wager.” She says softly, drawing the other woman into the conversation. Yating does not miss the opportunity and steps to Gao Mu’s side before bowing her head.
“It is of no concern, Lady Lai. Let us not mind such small matters. I am certain such esteemed venerables as you are quite busy so we shan't keep you longer.”
“I’m afraid it’s not so simple, Lady Tai.” Cai Yin replies. “A challenge has been made and answered. Of course, I am still willing to let your companion off if she kowtows.”
“Don’t worry, Ya- Lady Tai, I’ll win your circlet back!” Gao Mu says with full confidence. Yating’s eye twitches at her irreverence. Certainly a disciple of Song Suwan cannot be weak but even before Yating she left her clan the name Cai Yin was already known as the rising star of the Cai. Knowing she has exhausted her means and that Gao Mu won’t change her mind once she’s decided on something she steps back with a wry expression, hoping the young lord will hold back.
Both groups back up to allow the duelists room to maneuver. The crowd that stopped to gape at their argument maintains a similar distance causing a circle to form in the street, albeit with gaps around the groups of cultivators where none dare to step closer. Mu clasps her hand and bows her head.
“Gao Mu, first disciple of Song Suwan. Please advise.”
Yin nods approvingly before mirroring the gesture.
“Cai Yin, core disciple of the White Rose Sect and heir to the Cai. Please advise.”
Hushed whispers run down the crowd while the two duelists stand silently, each gauging the other. Cai haughtily raises his chin and crosses his arms behind his back.
“I shall give you three blows before I retaliate.” He adds arrogantly, a cocky smirk on his face. Despite her bravado Gao Mu can feel the man before her is far stronger than her. She does not intend to let it stop her. She has overcome a superior opponent before and she will do it again or die trying! Nonetheless she shall take every advantage she can get. Remembering what her master has explained about her combat meditation she decides to put her full strength behind each of the three strikes and wager on the man’s honor to let her recover in between. Surely he wouldn’t break a promise made in front of so many people after all.
Taking a deep breath she takes a stance with one arm held out in front of her with the palm facing forward. She keeps the other at chest height and begins circling with her knees bent slightly, probing for gaps in his defenses. Despite the man having his arms behind his back she gets the distinct feeling there are none. Determining there is no point in going for a finishing blow from the start she fortifies the qi through her entire body and speeds up her thoughts to process any slight changes in his stance while she dashes around him. Several times she feints a strike only to pull back at the last moment when she realizes he seems to be able to tell the blow is a fake and does not even bother to actively guard against it. She smiles. That arrogance is something she can use.
She aims another feinted kick at his back, seeing he isn’t reacting she channels far more of her qi into her legs and turns her feint into a spinning hook kick.
Cai Yin steps aside at the last moment, the very air pressure of Mu’s kick bowling part of the surrounding gawkers over.
Yin shakes his head with a sigh. “Our White Rose Sect’s teachings would never let such recklessness fester. To waste so much qi on such a telegraphed strike, shameful. Utterly shameful. Haah, and your power is even decent for your level. So much wasted potential, if only you had a proper teacher.”
Mu grits her teeth at his lies. She knows full well how weak she is and how without Suwan’s tutelage she would still be far below average, yet this man praises her? A simple attempt to stroke her ego and make her doubt her master. She breathes deeply to replenish her qi stores and restrain her anger until it is useful, missing the gleam in his eyes at her restrained fury.
Circling back until Zhi and Yating are behind her she breathes deep and fast to fill her qi to the brim, sending every scrap she gathers into her fist as she crouches lower and covers her fist with her other hand. Yin’s eyebrow raises. The crowd waits with bated breath when he removes one arm from behind his back and holds his hand sideways in front of him. With a roar Gao Mu unleashes her qi blast. Yin tilts his body sideways and slices with his hand cutting the blast in half and sending the two parts to either side of him.
“Disgraceful. If this pathetic miscreant that conned themselves into teaching you believes this technique is acceptable they are even more shameless than this young master thought. You are destroying your meridians every time you use it. To drag this out any further would risk crippling your cultivation entirely. Use your last strike and I shall end this farce.”
Yating’s heart drops.
She knows the young master’s reputation. With how much effort he is putting into making his actions seem charitable she fears for Gao Mu. Her hands clench into fists as she stands by helplessly. She swears then and there that she will redouble her efforts at cultivation. Even after she has regained her drive she has still been taking it lightly, taking slow steps back on to the path of cultivation instead of pushing herself fully. This ends now, she swears to herself. No more will she stand by and watch those she cares for suffer, she shall take fate into her own hands.
Tapping her foot out of worry, Zhi watches the fight with far less confidence than she did at the start. It isn’t until now she truly understands there are heavens above the heavens. Sure, she knows Song Suwan is far stronger than Gao Mu and yes, she’s seen Twelve use her special techniques to avoid her blows but it is only now that she sees Gao Mu put her all into a fight and be met with mockery as the strongest moves she’s ever seen the girl make result in nothing. Her shoulders square unconsciously and her posture lowers slightly, set like a coiled snake readying for a strike as she prepares to bail her friend out, consequences be damned. Except this time she does not intend to strike first, no, she does not intend to strike at all. Intercept a strike if she must, sure, but her sole goal is to grab Mu and get out.
Unlike the other two Gao Mu puts far less thought into her current situation, her qi cycling entirely by instinct. She greedily gobbles the surrounding qi down and floods her veins with it, closing her eyes and spreading it through her entire body before focusing more and more into her arm until her very muscles bulge, filled to the brim. Her mind is on the verge of understanding… something. She knows not what, only that it is key that she does. She continues as she always has, trusting her instincts to carry her through. If a fistful of qi is not enough she shall use an armful. If her body is not strong enough to bear the backlash she shall fortify it to the edge of its breaking point. Minutes pass in absolute silence while she prepares. No one, not even any of the man’s sycophants, speak a single word. A heavy pressure hangs in the air by the time Gao Mu opens her eyes again. For a moment Cai Yin swears he sees an ethereal tiger form behind the girl before it vanishes like a desert mirage. The playful look in his eyes vanishes, replaced by caution as the air around him grows colder.
The crowd takes a step back, not daring to blink lest they miss the finale.
With an open mouthed snarl Gao Mu rushes straight forward and punches with all her might. Cai’s eyes widen for the briefest moment before his hand raises, almost tardily slow. It arrives in time nonetheless. A sound like thunder resounds through the city when clenched fist meets open palm and stops entirely. Yin’s fingers close around Mu’s hand and panic floods through her veins. She did not yet fire her qi burst. She can feel her spiritual veins freeze, the roiling qi inside trapped within a vessel barely able to accommodate its passage, much less its stay. Her limb freezes up to the shoulder by the time the young master pauses his attack. The way he looks at her sends shivers down her spine far more than the cold ever could.
“Fools using techniques they do not understand need to take care lest their aspirations… shatter.”
Mu screams when the qi in her arm bursts, shattering the ice into a thousand pieces and leaving only a frostbitten stump just below her shoulder. Halfway to her friend's side Zhi freezes in place when an aura roiling with fury falls over her.
The golden dragon glares imperiously at the worm, hatred clear in its eyes. Its clawed hand rises and drops like a gavel, the verdict clear for all to see.
Suwan catches Mu when she drops backwards, putting down an exhausted An gulping for air. A pained look flashes across her face when she sits her crippled disciple down on the floor and forces a medicinal pill into her mouth to take care of the most immediate issues. She stands up and cracks her neck while forming her good hand into a fist. Her glare at the young master is filled with so much hate he involuntarily tries to take a step back only to find himself rooted to the floor in fear.
“Clench your teeth. Or don’t. It won’t make a difference.”
-----
The entire group stands around an infirmary bed. On top of it lies Mu, sweating, twisting and turning fretfully in her sleep. Her brow scrunches, teeth clack together and breath quickens, fever dreams clear for all to see. An dutifully wipes the sweat off her master’s forehead, regret pooling in her stomach. If only she had gotten to Venerable Song faster. If only she had mastered qi half as fast as the others had. Thoughts race through her mind darkening her mood ever further.
Suwan tries to rub the bridge of her nose, the blackened stump in front of her face failing at the task and causing her to sigh loudly.
“I guess there’s no choice. I can’t heal lost limbs. We will have to go visit my master,” She mutters, her words audible to all as they latch on to her words out of a mix of desperation and hope. “We shall go see Song Huan.”
